I'm in the mood for love

Ah, February. The month of love. And black history month. But, since I'm not black, it's the month of love for me. Time for all those romantic movies on TV. All those hot, sexy kisses in the movies. Encore Love channel is playing "kiss" movies (no not Gene Simmons, thank GOD) and it got me in the mood for The Notebook. So, I got out my DVD, wiped the dust off the cover and started it on one of my favorite scenes. Well, then I thought I would make a list (you know my passion for lists) of my most favorite romantic movies and romantic books. I've seen LOTS of romantic movies and probably have read twice as many romantic books. So, here's a few of my favorites.

Movies:

The Notebook (it's a given)

While You Were Sleeping

A Walk To Remember

Sleepless in Seattle

An Affair to remember

Singing In The Rain

Ever After

Okay, I could go on and on, but I'll stop at seven. Now on to books. I've read so many "romance novels" I couldn't even begin to count. I remember the first romance book I read, it was borrowed from Diva, back when we were juniors in high school, and our English teacher made us all read books that were different from what we normally read. Like for Mike, any book would have been different than what he normally read. lol. Boys were to read romance novels, girls westerns. Since I liked westerns and had already done a book review on one, she told me I had to read a romance. Had I only known the broad scope of the genre, I could have read such a better book. But, back then I thought romance were either those skinny little Harlequin books or the big fat ones with Fabeo on the front where they talk about her milky white thighs and his quivering loins. I don't remember the book title, and I vaguely remember what it was even about, but the parts I do remember went something like this: Indian brave kidnaps white woman. Indian brave has the hots for white woman. White woman loathes Indian brave yet secretly lusts after him. Enter creamy white thighs and quivering loins, and you've got yourself a book.

But, you know what? I've come a long way since those days. I've never read another one of those "Fabio" books, but I've read several Harlequin books, each one as forgettable as the next. But along the way, I've read some really good romance books. Here's my list:

The Notebook (imagine that!) by Nicholas Sparks

The Wedding (even better than The Notebook, if it could be done) by Nicholas Sparks

Years by LaVyrle Spencer

November Of The Heart by LaVyrle Spencer

Then Came Heaven by LaVyrle Spencer

I know, I know, it seems I'm a little limited to my authors, but that really isn't the case. I read a lot of different authors, but these books were worth remembering and I've even read them all over and over. Especially Years. The reason I love these books is because they are true romance. No smut, romance. So pure (especially in Years) and innocent that it makes me literally feel the same way the characters are feeling. I have felt that euphoric love and reading these books, I can remember that feeling. Remember the rush of feeling with that first kiss. Like electricity. That first touch.

So, how old were you when you got your first kiss? I was 11, mere weeks away from turning 12, and my first kiss was with Brian Highfill. He taught me the fine art of the french kiss. Every time I hear any song from the Van Halen album 1984, it immediately transports me back to that summer, sitting on a bench at Sycamore Valley, the sun starting to go down and me telling him I had to go when the sun went behind that hill. And then he kissed me. (Yes, I sang that last line) When I stop and think that my own daughter is 11 it makes me SHUDDER.